DOWNTOWN: Dick Freeman of Bradford brings up a suggestion to
spiff up Main Street:

“To keep the ‘downtown’ area looking good we should have an
ordinance that would require broken storefront windows be replaced
within 30 days.”

“The empty store windows could be decorated by other businesses
or by the Chamber of Commerce, or charity groups.

“The store owner would perhaps lease his property more quickly
and the entire downtown would have a profitable look for tourists
etc. The tourist groups could also display our local attractions
etc.”

We heard a similar good idea about Main Street from a reader.
Why not actually have the charities occupy these vacant storefronts
full time? The Bradford Area United Way is already downtown and it
gives the agency a nice “presence” in the community.

Some of the local charities, located in little nooks and
crannies around town, are hard to find. This would make it easier
for their clients and supporters.

We’ve always felt Bradford could benefit, too, from a
cooperative location for charities, putting many of them under one
roof to allow them to share scarce services, supplies and
personnel.

The Main Street Mercantile, a cooperative at 96 Main, operates
under a similar type plan and, from outward appearances, appears to
be having great success.

J.R. EVANS: While we’re on the subject of Main Street retail
stores, we hear from another fan of the James R. Evans Co.

Len Wilson of Yuma, Ariz., writes, “James R. Evans Co. was the
place to buy your clothes. Probably have a Pendleton shirt hanging
in the closet. Don’t wear it too much here in the desert.” Len
tells us he’s a 1954 Bradford High graduate.

We also heard from a reader who said James R. Evans store gave
him two shirts and a pair of pants when he got back from serving in
the Vietnam War.

Oppenheim’s gave him a pair of Bates’ wing tips – very expensive
shoes which we wore until he got married in 1976 and then passed
them along to an uncle who wore them another 20 years until he
died.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “The national argument right now is, one, who’s
got the truth and, two, who’s got the facts. Until we can manage to
get the two of them back together again, we’re not going to make
much progress,” said Michael Adams, English professor, Indiana
University, 2006.